


Salanghae

by LiterallyThePresident



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Billy calls him a bitch, Fluff, Goodnight is smitten, Goodnight tries to secretly learn Korean, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 08:51:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17936669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallyThePresident/pseuds/LiterallyThePresident
Summary: “I thought I’d read it to you.” Goodnight admitted, “But then I couldn’t even read it to myself. So I started asking around, hoping for someone who could teach me to read it.”“You could have asked me.” Billy said quietly.“I wanted it to be a surprise.” he admitted, wringing his hands, “I wanted to... impress you, you know?”





	Salanghae

Goodnight was idly browsing the small bookshop when he saw the book. It was small and worn, unremarkable except for language is what written in, and Goodnight felt his breath catch slightly with excitement. He strode up to the counter with hope in his eyes.

“What’s this?” he asked the elderly bookkeeper. The bookkeeper glanced at the book at then smiled benignly.

“Ever heard of a country called Korea?” he asked, and Goodnight had to refrain from gasping.

“Korea?” he asked hopefully, “This is a Korean book?”

“That it is.” the bookkeeper nodded approvingly, “Surprised you know it. Most folks couldn’t tell one Asian country from another.”

“I’ll take it!” he exclaimed eagerly, not bothering to ask what it was about as he slapped the book down on the counter. The bookkeeper blinked but then laughed at his enthusiasm and counted out his change, sending him on his way with a jovial wave. Goodnight held the book to his chest with a wide smile until he got to the street corner and waited for a carriage to pass. He opened the book eagerly, and his face fell as soon as he saw its contents. He couldn’t made heads of tails of the strange writing within it, not a single word. His heart sank with disappointment. He couldn’t read this to Billy. He couldn’t even read it to himself. How could he have forgotten that he couldn’t understand Korean, let alone read it? He felt the sting of embarrassment and sighed, closing the book and stowing it in his bag. Perhaps he’d sleep on it, and figure something out tomorrow.

—-

The book burned a hole in his bag for two days before he and Billy found themselves in a dingy saloon at dusk, listening to a woman croon a low song as they tossed back their whiskey. As Billy closed his eyes to listen, Goodnight let his eyes wander around the saloon. He straightened slightly when he saw a young oriental man sitting alone in a corner, nursing a half-empty glass. An idea formed in Goodnight’s mind, and he squeezed Billy’s arm before getting up. He approached the man with a disarming smile, though it didn’t stop the man from tensing at his approach, no doubt he was used to white men starting trouble for no reason.

“Pardon me, sir, I don’t mean to intrude, but I don’t suppose you’re from Korea?” Goodnight asked with a smile. The man slowly leaned back with a mistrustful look, his hand subtly going to his hip.

“Japan. Osaka.” he replied with a carefully blank look and an accent that didn’t sound at all like Billy’s. Goodnight tried to hide his disappointment, giving a wave instead.

“My apologies. Er, don’t suppose you happen to know any Korean anyway?”

“No.”

“Alright. Thank you for your time.” and then he walked away before he could make an even bigger fool of himself, ignoring the odd look Billy gave him as he sat back down. The Japanese man gave them a strange look before he shrugged and went back to his drink.

It went like that for three more towns. Goodnight would approach people of the orient and ask if they knew any Korean, and they would inevitably reply in a negative. On the bright side, he learned of many lands he’d never heard of; Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan. He always did like to learn new things. Billy always gave him an odd look when Goodnight did this, but never commented. Goodnight’s business was his own, and Goodnight loved him for it.

Lady Luck finally caught up to him in a little town called Selburg, and she manifested in an elderly Korean woman who called herself Soon-Hee and would give no one the time of day unless they pronounced it correctly. Goodnight was immediately taken with her, charmed by her tenacity and stubbornness and the way she took no one’s shit. The very night he met her, he knew she was the one he needed. He asked Billy if they could stay in this town a little longer, and Billy gave him a scrutinizing look, but eventually agreed. This town was a bit more open to folks of different races, so that sweetened the deal somewhat. Goodnight kissed his cheek and murmured his thanks, promising to make it up to him. Billy only rolled his eyes fondly, and that was that. Goodnight spent the next week throwing himself into language lessons with Soon-Hee and trying his best to keep it a secret from Billy. He wanted it to be a surprise when he read to him, and he kept at it even when he struggled. And he struggled a _lot_. Korean was _hard_ , but if he dared say as much, Soon-Hee would smack his hand and sternly tell him English was harder. And he believed her.

While Goodnight learned, Billy found company with a small group of Koreans who frequented the saloon. They could often be seen laughing amongst themselves in their little corner, lilting words floating above the din. Sometimes Goodnight could even understand some of their conversation, and he felt warm every time that happened. A part of him worried, fearing that Billy would want to stay with his kinsmen rather than him. But Billy always put those fears to rest when he slid into their bed each night and pulled him close, murmuring about how he’d missed him. 

Goodnight loved him so much.

“You keep pining after that man of yours and you’ll drive yourself into a early grave.” Soon-Hee scolded after the fifth time he’d drifted off imagining what Billy’s face would look like when he whispered Korean to him. He flushed slightly as he cleared his throat, hoping his thoughts hadn’t been visible on his face.

“Sorry.” he shook himself, embarrassed, “I-I wasn’t pining, I was just-“

“Daydreaming.” she interrupted with a stern look, “Cut that out.”

“Yes ma’am.” he nodded, “Sorry, ma’am.”

“Good. Now, how do you say ‘Hello’?”

“ _Yeoboseyo_.” he said obediently.

“Passable. How do you say ‘I’m sorry for being rude’?”

“ _Mulyehagehaeseo_ _mianhae_.” he repeated, slower this time, tripping over the syllables but getting the whole phrase out without having to start over. She nodded with something close to approval, and Goodnight all but beamed.

“How do you say ‘I love you, Billy Rocks’?”

“ _Salang_ -Hey!”

“Close.” she nodded, eyes gleaming, “Try again.”

“Now that’s just mean.” he huffed, “Ain’t no need to go mocking a man for his genuine affections.”

“No mocking here.” she chuckled, “Can you read the book yet?”

“I read a whole page yesterday!” he perked up, “It was about a beach!”

“Very good.” she grinned, “Soon you’ll be able to read a whole chapter.”

“And then Billy will be so happy.” he sighed dreamily, and she rolled her eyes.

“Young love.” she shook her head, “Disgusting.”

—-

“Oh Billy, darling, can you grab me my cigar while you’re over there?” Goodnight groaned as he collapsed into the bed after a long day. Billy snorted but did as he asked, rummaging through the bag. Goodnight closed his eyes, enjoying the opportunity to just relax. After a moment, Billy tapped his leg. Goodnight opened his eyes to see Billy staring down at him with an inscrutable expression.

“Billy?”

“What is this?” Billy asked him, tossing the Korean book onto the covers. Goodnight blinked and then wilted. Looked like the jig was up, so to speak.

“It’s... a book.” he sighed, sitting up, “That I got from a nice bookseller back in Louisiana.”

“You... bought this?” Billy asked, his eyes carefully blank, “I didn’t know you could read Korean.”

“I couldn’t when I bought it.” Goodnight said, and Billy cocked his head with confusion.

“Then why did you buy it?”

“I thought I’d read it to you.” Goodnight admitted, “But then I couldn’t even read it to myself. So I started asking around, hoping for someone who could teach me to read it.”

“You could have asked me.” Billy said quietly.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” he admitted, wringing his hands, “I wanted to... impress you, you know?”

“Impress me.” he echoed, sitting next to him with a sigh, “Goody...”

“I know.” Goodnight sighed, “It was stupid, wasn’t it?”

“No.” Billy murmured, a small smile forming as he looked over at him, “It wasn’t stupid.”

“It wasn’t?” he asked with a soft hope

“Silly, maybe. Sentimental. Sappy beyond belief.” he nudged his shoulder, “But not stupid.”

“Oh Billy, I love you.” Goodnight brightened like the sun, “ _Salanghae_.”

“And I you.” Billy smiled, looking genuinely pleased, “My Goody.”

“I can’t wait to read it to you.” he smiled, “Soon I’ll nail it, you’ll see.” At this, Billy leaned back, reclining onto the pillows and smirking slightly at him.

“So read it to me.” he said easily, and Goodnight blinked.

“But... I haven’t mastered the language yet.” he protested, and Billy chuckled.

“You don’t have to master it. I doubt you could. And even then, I haven’t really mastered English, but I survive.” Goodnight stared at him, and Billy sighed fondly, “Read to me as best you can. I want to hear you.” Goodnight hesitated only a moment before picking up the book, swallowing and taking a breath before starting his slow, hesitant reading. Billy closed his eyes to listen as Goodnight stumbled along, focusing on pronunciation rather than the story. As he went, he grew gradually more confident, speeding up slightly and starting to actually comprehend the words themselves. He was six pages in before the actual meaning of the words set in, and he stiffened.

“Is... Is this a _smutty_ novel!?” he gasped, absolutely scandalized. Billy snorted, looking completely relaxed with his arms pillowing his head.

“You finally noticed?”

“Billy!” he wailed, “Why didn’t you say anything!?”

“Why would I?”

“I’ve been subjecting you to filth!”

“You’re the one who bought it.” Billy opened those dark eyes brimming with mischief, “Imagine what that poor bookkeeper thought.”

“Billy, no!”

“Goodnight Robicheaux buys smutty novels and reads them aloud to his poor innocent friend, who would have guessed?” he smirked, “For shame, Goody. For shame.” Goodnight buried his face in his hands and groaned. Billy laughed, bright and open, and that eased some of Goodnight’s humiliation a little.

“You are impossible.” he lamented, “You’re killing me, Billy. You’re killing your Goodnight.”

“Don’t be a drama queen.” Billy rolled his eyes fondly, “And your accent sucks.” Goodnight flopped backward and groaned, giving up. Billy took the opportunity to steal a cigar out of Goodnight’s pocket, making Goodnight turn to give him a halfhearted glare.

“Rude.”

“Always.” he smirked, lighting it in one smooth motion, “Keep reading.”

“No way!” he looked at the ceiling rather than Billy, “No way in Hell.”

“Come on, do it.” Billy goaded, “It’s hilarious.”

“Absolutely not, it’s inappropriate!”

“Pretty please?”

“No!”

“Hey. Hey Goody, look at me.”

Goodnight did, and Billy smirked.

“Bitch.”

“Hey!” Goodnight gasped, and Billy’s laughter filled the room. Unable to stay exasperated, Goodnight’s laughter soon joined in.

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh, weak beginning I know, but I just wanted this story done. Also I got all the Korean from google translate, so I apologize if it’s wrong. This whole story was inspired by Hannibal Buress


End file.
